Xu hongshun has been teaching soccer at a rural primary school for 17 years, since he graduated from Nanjing Sport Institute. But Xizhang Primary School, in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province, is not an ordinary school. It is considered the cradle of youth soccer, and also the original host of the Beibei Cup, one of the biggest junior soccer competitions in the country.

Cai Wenhao was transferred in 2013 to Xizhang from Evergrande Football School in Guangzhou by his father because he thinks the rural school has a better mode of training.

"Wenhao is talented in playing soccer, but he's bad in reading. Our school allows the students to touch the ball only when they finish their homework in basic sciences and humanities," says Dai Chaojie, a new soccer trainer at the Xizhang school. Dai was a professional player with the Shuntian Soccer Club and was encouraged to get involved in the teaching team at the primary school along with two other young players.

Cai Wenhao became very anxious when he wasn't allowed to play soccer with his companions, so he spared no effort in his studies and soon caught up with others in exams. At Xizhang, soccer training and games do not override the students' time for basic classes.

"Many parents have told me recently that soccer boots are out of stock. It seems that the golden era really has come," says Yang Jianxin, headmaster of the Xizhang school since 2011. He was referring to the comprehensive soccer reform plan issued by the State Council in March to raise the level of the sport in China.

Yang says soccer is not only a sport, but also a culture and a healthy lifestyle. Each of 1,400 students at the school can play soccer, which is rare in China.

Though one of the school's slogans is "Beibei Cup today, the World Cup tomorrow", Yang says few of the students will become professional players.

"Perhaps only one or two will become great players, and others may enter other industries. But I believe soccer will be their lifelong hobby. The spirit of soccer helps them learn teamwork, discipline and persistence."

(China Daily European Weekly 08/21/2015 page4)